Kathleen Crocetti is a Blue Star mother whose son is serving the country in the Air Force is the author of this installation. The traveling sculpture installation, depicts the almost 4,274 American casualties and almost 99,000 Iraqi dead since the beginning of the war in Iraq, each represented by a five-inch clay figure placed in a base of tons of sand. You can find more of her work here and at other sites.Kathleen Crocetti says:

“The aim of this work is to honor those who have died as respectfully as possible while making the growing abstract number visible and tangible,”. “This memorial is also a call to measure the true cost of war. It is time that we, as a nation, recognize not just our losses, but the losses we have caused.”“War memorials are usually constructed after the cessation of violence. Honoring those who have died on both sides of the battlefield while the battle continues to rage makes this work political. War is war. This installation is not about how and why we got into this situation, rather how and when we will get out of it.”“We need to start the grieving process now because it is painful and uncomfortable, and the the sooner we start acknowledging our culpability and responsibility, the sooner we will stop inflicting grief upon others.”

Monday, May 25

For his humanitarian efforts, Muhammad has been the recipient of countless awards. His recognitions include:
• United Nations Messenger of Peace in 1998-2008, for his work with developing nations
• Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005, the United States of America's highest civil award
• Amnesty International's Lifetime Achievement Award
• Germany's 2005 Otto Hahn Peace Medal, for his involvement in the U.S. civil rights movement and the United Nations
• International Ambassador of Jubilee 2000, a global organization dedicated to relieving debt in developing nations
• State of Kentucky's "Kentuckian of the Century"
• The Advertising Club of Louisville's "Louisvillian of the Century"

I took it from his site and I remembered it while reading a post, Cathy at "Dare to Think" did for Remembering Day. She says that this should be "Educate Day".
I believe that this post of hers is an elegy for peace. I have really loved this post.
Thank you Cathy!
Photography: I hope by the time she is my age the world will be a better place. War is part of human's nature it will never end but it's the exception, not the rule!
Update:
I did a search "Cassius Clay" - only in English and Portuguese languages - and was amazed that the amount of Brazilians sites is more numerous than in English. It seldom happens. Cassius Clay is very known in Brazil. I'm not sure how he is seen by Americans.

Monday, May 18

Patrick Leer's wife has multiple sclerosis since 1989 and in 2004 he entered for this project.
He created thisblog to talk about his wife's problems and how he is helping her. There is an association of caregivers

"The National Family Caregivers Association educates, supports, empowers and speaks up for the more than 50 million Americans who care for loved ones with a chronic illness or disability or the frailties of old age."

What Patrick did was unite people in blogs, exchange informations and make the concept "caregiver" that is already known and has some institutions spread There is already the autism caregiving linked to CaregivinglyYours.This is an inspiration to talk about health problems. It's amazing how little is done and said about those who are not healthy.
I want to thank and congratulate Patrick for this amazing work.If you know any good initiative, please let me know. These people must be recognized.

Saturday, May 16

I guess it will take too much time for me to do anything at Second Life.I don't even know how to dress and have no money. No house... nothing.It costs too much to have a real and a virtual life.I met this girl and she took a photo of us. Needless to say I'm the one with this terrible dress and horrible hair. It's too difficult and without money... just like in real life. I use to start my journey from this site Brooklin is Watching. Click to bigfy. Jack Daniels...

"John Baldessari was born in National City, California. He attended San Diego State University and did post-graduate work at Otis Art Institute, Chouinard Art Institute and the University of California at Berkeley. He taught at the California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, CA from 1970 - 1988 and the University of California at Los Angeles from 1996 - 2007."

"Throughout his career, John Baldessari has defied formalist categories by working in a variety of media—creating films, videotapes, prints, photographs, texts, drawings, and multiple combinations of these. In his use of media imagery, Baldessari is a pioneer “image appropriator,” and as such has had a profound impact on post-modern art production. Baldessari initially studied to be an art critic at the University of California, Berkeley during the mid 1950s, but growing dissatisfied with his studies, he turned to painting. Inspired by Dada and Surrealist literary and visual ideas, he began incorporating photographs, notes, texts, and fragments of conversation into his paintings. Baldessari remains fundamentally interested in de-mystifying artistic processes, and uses video to record his performances, which function as “deconstruction experiments.” –text courtesy of Video Data Bank."

Thursday, May 14

When I was posting the Munch's "Girls on a pier" below I remembered this painting by Dufy. Comparing this work with the two Dufy's at this post, we can have an idea on how he was influenced by Matisse.It was done before 1920 during the period he consider his work as a search. It was in 1905 that he first saw "Luxe, Calme et Volupté", by Matisse, a work that had a huge impact on him.I'm dedicating this post to Stephany who said that the three girls of the Munch's picture reminded her of her daughters.

Tuesday, May 12

Left: The Artist's Studio, 1935Right: May in Nice, 1930Dufy is a very known French artist.At a first glimpse it may seem that he is simple and easy but he spent many years to achieve his own voice. He was influenced by Matisse and it was by watching some of his works that he finally found a way to use imagination in drawing and in color.

Monday, May 11

This was made for a 2.000 pieces puzzle. The Madonna with all that flowers at the right corner has disappear. I've liked that. I'm sorry Brueghel. The bird has also disappear. :) I would call someone just take some objects and it would be great for me.I believe it's because we live in a minimal way of decorating. I understand it's an allegory. Yes. You are right, Brueghel. Allegories are meant to exaggerate. But I believe other people are thinking: "Hmmm... I could take that ....... out."
I don't understand why it gets so dark under black background. Unfortunately I cannot change the background of a single post.

Sunday, May 10

I've just found Craing's site at Engrammi's blog. It's hard to choose among more than one hundred witty and great equations. I've saved more if you don't go to Craig's site maybe (he has an equation for "maybe") I'll post more. But when you are at his site reading one after another you get into the mood and end up enjoying more than seeing just some samples.

Saturday, May 9

Right: The Laundress, 1889Left: At Montrouge, 1886-1887Same model but same clothes after two years?Same hair, same window, same look as if she was searching something.The light is different and Lautrec have captured it. Same beauty.

Tuesday, May 5

Again? Las Meninas again? Yep! This is a very important work for many reasons. One of them: can you see the "artist"?We are not sure if it's Velásquez but the fact that he has put the painter in the scene, looking at us, have many implications.
The King and the Queenare reflexions of a mirror. So they were not chosen by the painter. They were outside and the mirror kept their images and it has to be depicted.Tricky.This painting has been inspiriting many artists along the times.

Monday, May 4

May is the month for mental health awareness and I believe that this project is great.It's a calendar of May and everyday there's a new cartoon for the Mental Health Awareness Month.
This was yesterday's cartoon and you can click at it to see today's cartoon or look at the whole project.
This is really a sensible way to talk about something so difficult.